Thursday, 19 February 2009

Vaclav Klaus: A Brave Man Lends his Voice to Lisbon Treaty Dissent

Vaclav Klaus, the President of the Czech Republic, addressing the European Parliament, said it suffers from a democratic deficit and 'likened its workings to those of eastern Europe during the communist era.' (Financial Times)

'In his first address to the parliament, Mr Klaus characterised the institution as one that alienated voters and offered no credible opposition. He argued that decision-making powers should be pushed out of Brussels and back to individual member states.'

Mr Klaus said: “Here, only one single alternative is being promoted and those who dare to think about a different option are labelled as enemies of European integration. Not so long ago, in our part of Europe we lived in a political system that permitted no alternatives.”

Ireland has rejected the Lisbon Treaty. Germany has it under consideration by the Constitutional court. And President Klaus has yet to sign it.

Actually, banned/compulsory, I had in mind the Prague de-fenestrations of 1419, 1483, 1618, and the more recent and more widely known 1948 defenestration of Jan Mazaryk, who was so "suicided" by the communists.

But thanks for bringing to our attention the recent defenestration of the Schengen database and the 20m that it cost. Clearly old habits die hard.